PIONEER PL-7 Issues

[mtthnkn]

I received an old Pioneer PL-7 for Christmas last year from my brothers girlfriend. She said it came from her uncles garage who hasn't used it in over 40 years. I was super excited about it because I had been collecting vinyl for a while but never had my own turntable. But when I went to give it a dry test, the power came on but the tone arm would release over the platter, drop down and then almost immediately raise up and return, and then repeat the process until I unplugged it. Also the platter would spin and then stop and then spin again and then stop. I noticed that the start/stop button is a little sunk in to the table. Need some advice on what to do or who to call because I'm not very familiar with turntable diagnostics or operations.

 

[wintersdawn]

Sounds like the automatic cycle has developed a fault causing the tonearm to raise straight back up after lowering. I do not know how to fix this but you can get the manual below:

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-7.shtml

 

[Binkman]

edited out..

Edit point.. after doing some research it seems to be a lubrication issue however the service manual seems hard to get. This requires disassembly and cleaning out old dried grease.

referenced:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/regret-having-opened-my-pioneer-pl-7.342362/

 

[mtthnkn]

I'm sorry, it's a PL-5 not a PL-7

 

[jleon92f]

 

[jleon92f]

Pics above of a PL-4 I just finished servicing, sounds like you need to lube and clean yours. Nice TT.

 

[mtthnkn]

Im sure the pl4 and pl5 aren't very different, how did you manage to take it apart?

 

[beej]

mtthnkn and I have exchanged emails and he has my disassembly/reassembly guide. Let us know how it turns out.